Dog lovers unite for drive in Lakewood Ranch

Lakewood Ranch’s Megan Lowndes owns a pet sitting business, but she doesn’t just sit around.

Lowndes, who owns Pup Club, decided to act after hearing about Bradenton’s Little Feet, Big Heart Rescue, which provides rescue and rehabilitation services to homeless and abandoned dogs.

In order to assist Little Feet, Big Heart Rescue, Lowndes decided to combine forces with four other pet-friendly businesses to hold the Hungry Bowls Pet Food Drive.

“Little Feet, Big Heart is local and it’s doing great stuff,” Lowndes said. “So I just called all the different (pet-friendly businesses) in the area and asked them if they wanted to do it. They were like ‘sure, yeah, why not?’”

Joining the effort were Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming Lakewood Ranch, Pawsitively Healthy Pet Supply, Three Dog Bakery and the Publix at Lakewood Walk.

Anyone who would like to participate can drop off dog food through Aug. 13.

The food then will be delivered to Jennifer Wemmell, the Little Feet, Big Heart Rescue founder. Her nonprofit rescues dogs from kill shelters and places them in foster homes after doing an exhaustive background check on the new owners.

Wemmell said she isn’t sure how Lowndes came upon her organization, but she is glad she did.

“We are always looking for any kind of donation because we are so small and I fund this almost entirely out of pocket,” Wemmell said.

Little Feet, Big Heart is looking primarily for dog food, but they will accept cat food.